The summer box office for 2024 is off to a lukewarm start, with studios releasing mid-range sequels and prequels, as well as family-focused animated films to fill the gap left by last year’s blockbusters “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer.” Production delays from strikes by the Writers Guild and SAG-AFTRA are also impacting the summer season, which historically accounts for nearly 40% of the total domestic annual revenue. Analysts predict a 20-25% drop in box office grosses between May and August compared to last year.
The summer season between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day Monday typically brings in upwards of $4 billion in domestic revenue, with 2023 being the first post-pandemic summer to surpass this mark, reaching $4.09 billion. Studios like Warner Bros., Disney, and Pixar are banking on releases like “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga,” “Inside Out 2,” and “Deadpool & Wolverine” to potentially cross the $100 million threshold at the box office. The absence of a Marvel movie this summer has led to a slow start, with the season being described as a “late bloomer.”
Disney, one of the major players in the entertainment industry, is set to release “Inside Out 2” as its first wide release under the flagship Disney banner for 2024. The studio’s summer offerings, particularly from its Pixar and Marvel divisions, will play a critical role in how the box office performs overall. “Deadpool & Wolverine” is expected to reinvigorate audience enthusiasm, with pre-sales data suggesting it has the potential to earn between $170 million and $210 million in its opening weekend.
While industry experts acknowledge that the 2024 box office has been sluggish so far, they remain hopeful that strong titles in the second half of the year, such as “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” and “Transformers One” in September, and “Joker: Folie à Deux” in October, could help boost box office earnings. Box Office Pro projects that the 2024 box office will gross $8.2 billion, a 10% drop from last year’s earnings of $9 billion. Despite challenges such as production delays and shifting moviegoing habits post-pandemic, there is still enthusiasm for the theatrical experience and potential for blockbuster hits.
